By Yemi Olakitan
After final revisions by pertinent stakeholders, the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) and Department of Transport (DoT) will adopt the country’s new National Maritime Security Strategy (NMSS) by April of the following year.
The Department of Transportation revealed in a presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on Defense (JSCD) on November 10 that a revised draft of the strategy is anticipated by the end of February next year and will then be submitted to the Ministers of Transport and Defense for adoption before the end of March 2023.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), SANDF, State Security Agency (SSA), South African Police Service (SAPS), Department of Home Affairs (DHA), Border Management Authority (BMA), Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE), Department of Health (DoH), and Department of International Relations all provided feedback to the Maritime Security Advisory Committee regarding the strategy (DIRCO). The Department of Transport requested an interdepartmental strategy with the SANDF to create the NMSS in February 2022.
Mid-January of the following year will see a working session between the University of Stellenbosch Military Studies division team and the marine security strategy working group, followed by a revised draft in February and adoption.
The Department of Transport is working with a team from the Stellenbosch Military Studies Division to improve the substance of the plan; as an example, a workshop was held in July when advice from several other nations that have created maritime security strategies was solicited.
MthunziMadiya, DDG: Maritime Transport, Department of Transport, explained to the JSCD that the Department hopes to get the strategy approved in Cabinet and by the Minister before the end of current fiscal year.
However, during the JSCD meeting, many issues were raised. Gladys Kudjoe, the secretary for defence, doubted that ThandiModise, the defence minister, could approve the strategy before February because not all departments had been consulted from the beginning of the process. As 70% of the economy depends on ports, JSCD head Cyril Xaba urged all parties to complete the strategy as soon as possible. He stated that more than 230 million tonnes of cargo are transported via South Africa’s nine commercial ports each year, which receive roughly 14 000 boats. Nearly 90% of world trade is transported by sea. Thus, he argued, maritime security is a crucial aspect of maritime law.
In order to support economic growth, human security, cohesiveness, and sovereignty, the new National Maritime Security Strategy aims to incrementally protect ports, coastal areas, and oceanic domains from a national and regional viewpoint.
